Improvement in apparatus for compressing air by wind-power



Patented My1e,1s7e.

NPETERS, FHOTO-LITMOGRAPHER. WASHINGYON. D CV UNITED STATES PATENT @Ferca MARCUS A. FULTON, OF HUDSON, WISCONSIN.

1|MPRovEME-NT IN. APPARATUS 'FOR .coMPREs-slNc AIR Bv WIND-POWER Speciicationforming part of Letters Patent 'No. l77,495, dated May 16, 1876; application filed March 29, 1876.

To all whom it may concern Be itknown that I, MARoUs A. FULTON, of lthel city of Hudson, in the State of Wiscousin, have invented a new and Improved Apparatus for Compressing Air by Wind-Power; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full and correct description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which is a perspective view of an apparatus embodying my invention.

The nature of my invention consists in av system and apparatus for storing wind-power by converting it, both directly and indirectly,

into another form of force, which can be applied to the performance of mechanical work at any time, whether the wind be blowing or not. 'I effect the desired result by receiving the power of the wind upon wind-wheels of any c suitable construction, and causing the motion of saidwheels to be transmitted directly to air-pumps, which force air in a`condensed state into reservoirs, whence it can be drawn, whenv required, to drive an air-engine, and, at the same time, applying the surplus power of the `Wind-'wheels to carrying up. sand, or other suitable substances, whose lparticles move readily upon one another, into an elevatedA tank or receptacle, whence, in descending, the

y substance thus raised may lbe made, by its weight, to turn a wheel when 'the wind is not blowing, and work an air-pump connected with a condensed air-reservoir of any suitable form,

ployment at the same time of any surplus power to create a reserve, which can be used at pleasure for the same purpose as the directly-applied power, after the wind has ceased to blow, constitutes a new and useful invention, especially0 adapted to the wants of a large portion of our prairie country, where the wind blows -with remarkable constancy, where windmills are already extensively inf troduced, and where the scarcity of fuel makes it very desirable that a power should be available which does-not depend upon artificial heat for its development.

The drawing illustrates a form of apparatus I in whichA my invention is embodied. t

Wind-wheels W W, of any usual construcstructiou, are supportedvupon suitable framework A,'which also supports large' elevated 4tank T. The wheels W, by suitable gearing, drive shafts B B', and these communicate motion to shaft Sp, which, by means of any number of cams H, drives a corresponding numaround pulleys Gr and G', the latter being I placed near the edge of the tank I The pulley G is located in a vat, .V, `supplied with loose dry sand. As the shaft S revolves the elevator-buckets b carry up sand from the vat V, and deliver it in the tank T. Thistank has its `bottom inclined from every side toward the mouth of chute O, which is controlled by a gate or valve. its lower opening directiy above the overshotwheel O` which is attached to shaft S. A

trough, D, leads from the lower side of wheel l O to the vat V'to convey to that receptacle the sand, &c'., discharged from the buckets of wheel O. The condensed-air reservoirs may be of any form, size, and number that may be found most desirable. Several forms are represented in the drawing. L is an upright cylinder, having a close-iittingpiston, N, which is raised by the entrance ot' condensed air through pipep, and depressed, when ythe internal pressure is relieved, by the heavy weight M, which entirely expels the air from the cylinder as it descends. P and Q are wooden reservoirs of large size, strongly built, braced, and strapped without, and lined with impervious materials within, so as to be perfectly air-tight. The reservoir P is provided with a safety-valve as a security against explosion, and each reservoir has a check-valve to allow air to enter from the pumps, or from The chute O has` an adjoining reservoir, and prevents its esescape or return. A number of reservoirs may be connected together; and in that case the connecting-pipes q r, 85e., should be provided with automatic valves, so loaded as to compensate for the diminishing pressure in that reservoir-ot' the series from which air is drawn to propel the engine. Kis the distributing-reservoir, into which air is driven directly from the pumps, and whence it passes into the storing-reservoirs.

The operation is as follows: When the wheels W are turned by the wind, motion is communicated to shaft S,lwhich, by means of eccentric H, drives the air-pump I, and supplies the various reservoirs with which it is connected with condensed air. It' the force ot' the wind is such as to ai'ord a surplus of power beyond what is required to work the pump, the belt U, with its buckets b, is thrown into gear, and the elevator-buckets carry up sand from vat V, and deposit it in the elevated tank .I, andthe operation continues as long as the force of the wind is sufficient to perform it. When the wind ceases to blow'the chute C is opened, and the sand stored in tank T falls upon Wheel O, and rotates the shaft S, which thus continues to drive the air-pump as long as the supply ot' sand in the tank holds out. Thus the shaft S and the air-pump or pumps I are driven first by the direct action of the wind, and, when the wind lulls, by the stored surplus power exerted by it when blowing.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In combination with one or more windwheels, W, and a main shaft, S, driven by them, the condensing-pump I, driven from shaft S, the belt U and its elevator-buckets driven 'from the same shaft, all constructed, arranged,

and operating substantiallyn the manner and on the principal described and explained.

2. In combination with shaftS, the bucketwheel 0, driven by sand, or other material, falling upon it from tank T, and driving the said shaft .intermittently or simultaneously with the wind-power, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In combination with a wind-wheel, mechanism, substantially as described, driven by it, whereby the wind-power received by the wheel, or as much thereof as may' be needed, is` applied directly to the driving of one or more pumps for condensing air in proper storing-reservoirs, while, at the same time, any surplus of suchpower is used in raising sand, or other material, to an elevated receptacle, whence the substance so raised may be stored till needed, and then be made, in descending, to drive by its Weight a wheel connected with an air-condensing apparatus, and continue its operation after the wind has ceased to blow, all substantially in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

4. In combination with a wind-wheel, mechanism, substantially as described, for the double application ot' the wind-power, whereby part ot' the power may be used directly in the condensation ot' air, and the remainder be employed in the storing of powerlt'or the continuation ofthe condensing operation after the wind has ceased to blow, all substantially in the manner and for the purpose specified.

The above specification of my said invention signed and witnessed at Washington this 10th day ot' March, A. D. 1876.

MARCUS A. FULTON. Witnesses Jos. T. K. PLANT, CEAS. F. STANSBURY. 

